The Argosy, September 1915 — page 35: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ONE-CYLINDER SAM. Reggy Williams thought she wore it for him. It was neither kind nor worth while to tell him his mistake. The reason she wore it had partly to do with the Egyptian princess and partly with the fact that it was unique and beautiful. Now, as it lay in her hand, she ex- perienced a sense of dismay. She could snap it about her arm, of course, and then explain—explain that— Of course she could not! No; that was out of the question. Not after all she had told them that morning. Into Miss Chalthers’s mind flashed the memory of a sound that had reached her ears, even in the tremen- dous din of the Witherbee burglar- alarm. She recalled it as a rattling noise, but had given it no second thought in her panic. The discovery of her bracelet in the possession of her hosts supplied an exasperating expla- nation. She asked absently: “You say the burglar dropped it?” “Right on the porch where he had opened the window,” said Mrs. With- erbee. “Tom says it was quite a little dis- tance from the window, mother,” in- terrupted Gertrude. “It was on the porch, at any rate,” continued the hostess. ‘“ We think he had just stolen it from some other is- land. It’s not likely a man would be carrying a thing like that around for any length of time. “Tom found it while they were hunting with the lantern last night. We're going to make inquiries, of course; but, to tell you the truth, dear, we're just hoping a little that the own- er won't be found. In that case we'll keep it.”’ “ You mean J’ll keep it, mother,” said Gertrude. “Well, Polly wants it, too, my dear. Probably the best way will be to send it to the city and have copies made. Then we can each have one.’ Miss Chalmers shuddered. “We've all tried it on, but I think it fits me best,’’ asserted Gertrude. 249 The owner felt dizzy. It had been tried on—defiled! “You can wear it for a while, if you like, Rosalind,” aid Gertrude gen- erously. “No, thank you,” answered Miss Chalmers as she returned the bracelet to Mrs. Witherbee. Her voice was flat and faint. After that Tom Witherbee joined the group and the tale of the midnight alarm was spun again. Then came Polly Dawson, short, plump, and light- headed—both ways, for she was blond —and Polly told it all over, but in such different fashion, and with such a com- pletely new set of facts that it became quite a new story. Afterward a few others came strag- gling down—the two Winter girls, Fortescue Jones, and a dull-looking youth named Perkins, of whom Miss Chalmers had never heard. And pres- ently Mr. Morton, rearrayed, made his second appearance that morning. He bowed again very formally to the new guest. It was a dull breakfast for Miss Chalmers. Everybody except herself babbled incessantly about the burglar, the bracelet, and the hunt by lantern- light. ~The trinket of a princess was now upon Polly Dawson’s arm, she having beseeched Gertrude to let her wear it during the forenoon at least. The owner eyed it gloomily and made plans. Even though it had been desecrated, she did not propose. to abandon it to utter vandalism. She did not even in- tend that any vulgar modern crafts- man should make copies of it. When the moment was opportune, Miss Chalmers proposed to steal it. Of course she could never wear it again in the presence of the Witherbees or any of their guests; but she would possess it at any rate. Breakfast was served on a broad porch at the rear of the house, which was the Witherbees’ dining-room for all meals when the weather was fine. It was not yet finished when Miss Chal- CORMICGLOOKS (C@)